PULLMAN–Arun Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson and an advocate for nonviolence and understanding, will be the keynote speaker for International Education Week at Washington State University’s Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28.
The event, sponsored by the Associated Students of Washington State University and the International Students’ Council, is free and open to the public.
Growing up in apartheid South Africa as a person of Indian heritage meant racial confrontations with both blacks and whites. As a young boy, Arun Gandhi was beaten up by black youths for not being black and by white youths because he was not white. Filled with rage and plotting to avenge his beatings, he subscribed to Charles Atlas bodybuilding magazines so he would have the strength to fight back. When his parents discovered the reason for their 12-year-old son’s sudden fascination with exercise, they decided that a visit to his grandfather in India was in order.
What followed was an 18-month stay with one of the world’s great leaders that would give him the keys to the powerful philosophy of nonviolence and help shape the foundation for his life’s work. It was a dangerous and exciting time, as Mahatma Gandhi was leading the people of India in their revolutionary, nonviolent struggle for independence from British rule.
After leading successful projects for economic and social reform in India, Gandhi came to the United States in 1988 to complete research for a comparative study on racism in America. In 1991, Arun Gandhi and his wife Sunanda founded the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, headquartered at Christian Brothers University in Memphis. The institute’s mission is to foster understanding of nonviolence and to put that philosophy to practical use through workshops, lectures and community outreach programs.
A speaker of international acclaim, Gandhi has spoken before hundreds of colleges, corporate and civic organizations. His unique talents and cross-cultural experiences have brought him before governmental, social and educational audiences in countries all over the world, including Croatia, France, Ireland, Holland, Lithuania and Nicaragua. Arun Gandhi is a cultural treasure, offering firsthand insights into one of history’s most influential leaders.
The 4th Annual International Education Week will take place Sept. 22-29. The event’s goal is to promote international awareness in the Pacific Northwest through different activities. All events are free and open to the public. For more information about the International Education Week and a complete list of events, visit: https://www.isc.aswsu.org/news or contact Lisa Zenno iscdpr@gmail.com or Ayano Horiguchi ayano_horiguchi@hotmail.com.
